Side-bar vehicle



(ModeL) L. STOUFFER.

SIDE BAR VEHICLE No. 326,692. Patented SeptFZZ, 1885.

INVENTOR 1 WITNESSES (Q. a6 a @izz wp ATTORNEiS.

UNiTED. STATES LUTHER STOUFFER, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

PATENT OFFICE.

SIDE-BAR VEHICLE.

ESPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,692, datedSeptember 22, 1885.

Application filed Novomhe1'29, 1884. (ModeL) To all whom it mayconcern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER SroUEFER, of St. Joseph, in the county ofBuchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Side-Bar Vehicles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide certain new and usefulimprovements in sidebar vehicles, whereby the vehicle will have a moregradual and easy movement than the usual side-bar vehicles.

The invention consists in the combination, with avehiclebox and sidebars,ofaspring rod or bar bent to form a square or oblong figure, havingits outer ends crossed and extended laterally to the side bars, to whichthey are secured.

The invention further consistsin a shackleclip formed of a U shaped cliphaving a short and a long shank, on which short shank a bottom plate isformed, which is provided at its free end with an aperture, throughwhich the long shank can be passed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the under side of my improved side-barvehicle. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same on theline at m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same onthe line 3 y, Fig. 1.

The side bars, A, are secured at their ends to the front and rearcross-bars,B,and between the said bars the box 0 is supported by thesprings D at the front and rear ends. Each spring D is formed of a steelrod bent to form a square or oblong figure, F, the crossed outer endparts of which are extended laterally and beyond the sides of the oblongfigure to form the springs G, which are flattened and curved, as shown.The ends of the springs G are held to the under sides of shackle-clipsH, held on the side bars. The sides of the oblong figures F are held attheir outer ends to the under side of the box by clip-plates J, throughwhich the sides ofthe oblong-pass. The inner cross-bar of each oblongfigure F rests against a metal plate or strip, K, placed on the underside of the box,and provided with a notch, L,

at each end in the outer edge. Hook-boltsM are passed through the bottomof the box in such a manner that the hooks embrace the inner cross-pieceof the oblong,at each end,and the ends of the hooks pass into thenotches L. Nuts are then secured on the upper ends of the hook-bolts andthe said hook-bolts are drawn up tightly. The shackle-clips H are formedofa U-shaped rod having one shank longer than the other, and having abottom clip-plate, N, formed on the lower end of the short shank, thesaid plate being at right angles to the said shank. An aperture isformed in the free end of the bottom plate, the long shank is passedthrough the aperture in the i said bottom plate, and a nut is thenscrewed on the end of the long shank, whereby the shackle-clip is closedand clamped on the side bar. The bottom plate, N, of the shackle-clip isprovided with jaws or lugs n n, for receiving a pin to hold the end ofthe spring G.

My improved shackle-clip requires but one nut, is simpler than the clipusually used, and costs less.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a vehicle, the combination, with the side barsand box, of a spring secured to the box and -to the side bars, whichspring is formed of a spring rod or bar bent to form an oblong or squarefigure, the outer ends of which extend from the side of the figureacross the figure, and are extended beyond the sides of the figure tothe side bars, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a vehicle, the combination, with the box and side bars, of thesprings D G, shaped in the manner described, and of the clip-plates J,for holding the springs to the box at the inner ends of thelaterally-projecting parts, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a vehicle, the combination, with the box and side bars, of thesprings D G, shaped in the manner described, the clip-plates J, theplates or strips K, and the hook-bolts M, substantially as herein shownand described.

LUTHER STOUFFER.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE M. IRWIN, JACKSON TITY.

